Grommet assembly

Abstract

A grommet assembly for attachment to an apertured panel within a limited access space around the aperture for passing a wire bundle through the aperture. The grommet body includes a pivot support extending therefrom and offset to one side thereof when the grommet body is placed in an attachment position overlying the panel aperture. A peripheral stop flange of the grommet body engageable with one surface of the panel defines an attachement envelope within that limited access space. A retainer includes a pivot member by which the retainer is pivotally joined to the pivot support to rotate toward the grommet body. At an operative position, a stop portion of the retainer engages the other surface of the panel, and the retainer is sized so as to stay within the attachment envelopes it rotates. A locking means maintains the retainer in that operative position, thereby attaching the grommet assembly to the panel within the limited access space.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A grommet assembly for passing a wire bundle through an aperture in a panel having opposed surfaces, said assembly being attachable to said panel within a limited access space around said aperture, comprising, a grommet body having a passage through which a wire bundle may extend, said grommet body also having a stop portion that is engageable with one surface of said panel when said grommet body is placed in an attachment position overlying said aperture with said wire bundle passing through said aperture, said grommet body having a periphery defining, when in said attachment position, an attachment envelope within said limited access space,   a pivot support extending from said grommet body and offset to one side thereof while still being able to pass through said aperture as said grommet body is placed in said attachment position,   a retainer including at least one pivot member by which said retainer may be pivotally joined to said pivot support when said grommet body is in said attachment position so as to be rotatable toward said grommet body, said retainer further including a stop portion that is engageable with said panel other surface as said retainer rotates to an operative position, said retainer further being sized so as to remain substantially within said attachment envelope as said retainer rotates to said operative position, and locking means maintaining said retainer at said operative rotated position with said grommet body and said retainer stop portion engaged with their respective panel surfaces, whereby said grommet assembly is attached to said panel within said limited access space.   
     
     
       2. A grommet assembly for passing a wire bundle through an aperture in a panel having opposed surfaces, said assembly being attachable to said panel within a limited access space around said aperture, comprising, a grommet body having a passage through which a wire bundle may extend, said grommet body also having a stop portion that is engageable with one surface of said panel when said grommet body is placed in an attachment position overlying said aperture with said wire bundle by passing through said aperture, said grommet body having a periphery defining, when in said attachment position, an attachment envelope within said limited access space,   a pivot support including a pair of spaced legs extending from said grommet body and offset to one side thereof while still being able to pass through said aperture as said grommet body is placed in said attachment position with said wire bundle passing between said spaced legs,   a retainer including a pair of spaced pivot members by which said retainer may be pivotally joined to spaced legs when said grommet body is in said attachment position so as to be rotatable toward said grommet body, said retainer further including a stop portion that is engageable with said panel other surface as said retainer rotates to an operative position, said retainer also including a support member extending between said spaced pivot members and located so as to supportingly engage said wire bundle as said retainer rotates to said operative position, said retainer further being sized so as to remain substantially within said attachment envelope as said retainer rotates to said operative position, and,   locking means maintaining said retainer at said operative rotated position with said grommet body and said retainer stop portion engaged with their respective panel surfaces, whereby said grommet assembly is attached to said panel within said limited access space with said support member maintained in supporting engagement with said wire bundle.   
     
     
       3. A grommet assembly for passing a wire bundle through an aperture in a panel having opposed surfaces, said assembly being attachable to said panel within a limited access space around said aperture, comprising, a grommet body having a passage through which a wire bundle may extend, said grommet body also having a peripheral stop flange that is engageable with one surface of said panel around said aperture when said grommet body is placed in an attachment position overlying said aperture with said wire bundle passing through said aperture, said stop flange further defining, when said grommet body is in said attachment position, an attachment envelope within said limited access space,   a pivot support extending from said grommet body and offset to one side thereof while still being able to pass through said aperture as said grommet body is placed in said attachment position, said pivot support further including a surface facing said panel other surface,   a retainer including a pivot member engageable with said pivot support surface to pivotally join said retainer to said pivot support when said grommet body is in said attachment position so as to be rotatable toward said grommet body, said retainer further including a stop portion that is engageable with said panel other surface as said retainer rotates to an operative position, said retainer further being sized so as to remain substantially within said attachment envelope as said retainer rotates to said operative position,   a camming member on said retainer cammingly engageable with said panel other surface as said retainer rotates to said operative position to bias said retainer pivot member against said pivot support surface so as to force said grommet body stop flange and said retainer stop portion toward one another,   a resilient gasket located between said grommet body stop flange and said panel one surface so as to be compressed against said panel one surface by said grommet body stop flange as said retainer rotates to said operative position and said camming member forces said grommet body stop flange and retainer stop portion toward one another, thereby providing a seal between said grommet body and said aperture, and,   locking means maintaining said retainer at said operative rotated position with said grommet body stop flange and said retainer stop portion engaged with their respective panel surfaces, whereby said grommet assembly is attached to said panel within said limited access space with said compressed resilient gasket seal maintained.